Opening of the Unique Exhibition «Faith. Service. Feat» at the Belarusian State Cultural Center for Spiritual Revival

On July 2, 2026, the unique exhibition «Faith. Service. Feat» opened at the Belarusian State Cultural Center for Spiritual Revival. Prepared by the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus (hereinafter NARB) and the Cultural Center for Spiritual Revival, the exhibition details the little-known heroism of the clergy who, with arms in hand and the word of God, fought against the occupiers during the Great Patriotic War.

Archpriest Fyodor Povny, Rector of the All Saints Parish in Minsk, and E.A.Stukanova, Deputy Director of the NARB, delivered welcoming remarks at the opening. M.A.Starostenko, Head of the NARB Department, and E.I.Khoroshevich, Research Fellow at the Belarusian Cultural Center for Spiritual Revival, spoke about the exhibition’s preparations. For the first time, unique archival materials, long classified, are being presented to the public. Key exhibits include award certificates and personal records of partisan priests, personnel lists, as well as certificates and testimonials written by partisan commanders regarding the assistance of church parishes to the underground. Display cases display archival documents, church items, and elements of liturgical vestments. Rare personal photographs from family and church archives form an important part of the exhibition.

The exhibition tells the story of the rescue of civilians, aid to the wounded, and the direct participation of priests in combat operations. It tells the story of those who, under the most difficult circumstances, were able to combine their pastoral duties with the defense of their homeland.

1. Exhibition poster

2. Archpriest Fyodor Povny, Rector of the All Saints Parish in Minsk, delivered a welcoming speech

3. Mufti Abu-Bekir Yukhyanovich Shabanovich delivered a welcoming speech

4. E.A.Stukanova, Deputy Director of the National Archives of Belarus (NARB), delivered a welcoming speech

5. V.F.Gigin, Director General of the National Library of Belarus, spoke at the exhibition opening

6. NARB Director A.K.Demyanyuk presented archival publications to Archpriest Fyodor Povny, Rector of the All Saints Parish

7. E.I.Khoroshevich, Research Fellow at the Belarusian Cultural Center for Spiritual Revival, spoke about the preparations for the exhibition

8. M.A.Starostenko, Head of the NARB Department, spoke about the unique documents on display at the exhibition

9. M.A.Starostenko, Head of the NARB Department, presented copies of archival documents to one of the descendants of the clergyman – participant in the partisan movement

10. Exhibition display

11-15. Introduction of archival documents to exhibition visitors

16-18. Archival documents on display